5 Things you may not know about: Hunter Hayes

DANIELLE HATCH of the Journal Star

Wednesday

Mar 19, 2014 at 6:01 PM

Hunter Hayes, country singer and multi-instrumentalist behind the No. 1 tunes “Somebody’s Heartbreak” and “Wanted,” will perform March 27 at the Peoria Civic Center as he embarks on a tour to support his sophomore album “Storyline,” due out in early May. Ahead of his arrival, here are a five things you might not know about the 22-year-old heartthrob...

He started early

Hunter Hayes’ penchant for music started when his childhood babysitter would play him Cajun music, according to the Tuscaloosa News. When he was 2, he asked his parents for an accordion. They bought him a toy one and he mastered it so quickly they turned around and bought him a more professional model.

He’s ambitious

On May 9, he’ll attempt to break the world record for most shows played in a 24-hour period, playing shows in 10 cities starting in New York City and finishing in Philadelphia. (The record is currently held by the Flaming Lips, which played eight shows in 24 hours).

He mingles with mega-stars

Besides being nominated four times for a Grammy Award, he was recently named to Forbes Magazine’s “30 Under 30” list in the music category, alongside the likes of Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry.

He’s in the history books

At 21, he became the youngest male to earn a No. 1 country single on the Billboard Country singles chart with the song “Wanted.”

His song “Invisible” is autobiographical.

Hayes calls his single “Invisible,” a song about feeling like an outcast, the most personal song he’s written, according to Radio.com. He told CBS “This Morning” that being so engrossed in music and “a total nerd” left him invisible to those around him. “It took me awhile to realize it’s OK to be proud of that.”